Editing Media Transfer Protocol (section)

{{Short description|Computer communications protocol}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}

The '''Media Transfer Protocol''' ('''MTP''') is an extension to the [[Picture Transfer Protocol]] (PTP) [[communications protocol]] that allows media files to be transferred automatically to and from [[portable devices]].<ref name=WinHEC05>{{cite web|url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/8/f/98f3fe47-dfc3-4e74-92a3-088782200fe7/TWMD05003_WinHEC05.ppt|title=Media Transfer Protocol Implementation Details|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051214085750/http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/8/f/98f3fe47-dfc3-4e74-92a3-088782200fe7/TWMD05003_WinHEC05.ppt|archive-date=December 14, 2005 |at=MTP defined in slide 3}}</ref>  While technically "available" on Windows 10, in practice it is unreliable, especially when the external device's folders contain large numbers of items (e.g. photos or videos).  Connections tend to drop and cannot be restored or restarted without rebooting both the external device's and the Windows 10 computer.{{cn|date=May 2025}} Whereas PTP was designed for downloading photographs from [[digital camera]]s, Media Transfer Protocol allows the transfer of music files on [[digital audio player]]s and media files on [[portable media player]]s, as well as personal information on [[personal digital assistant]]s. MTP is a key part of [[WMDRM]]10-PD,<ref name=WinHEC05/> a [[digital rights management]] (DRM) service for the [[Windows Media]] platform. In 2011, it became the standard method to transfer files to and from Android.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2011/11/21/ice-cream-sandwich-supports-usb-mass-storage-after-all-galaxy-n/|title=Ice Cream Sandwich supports USB mass storage after all, Galaxy Nexus does not|publisher=Engadget|date=November 25, 2011|access-date=January 5, 2020|archive-date=February 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042232/https://www.engadget.com/2011/11/21/ice-cream-sandwich-supports-usb-mass-storage-after-all-galaxy-n/|url-status=live}}</ref>

MTP is part of the "Windows Media" framework and thus closely related to [[Windows Media Player]]. Versions of the [[Microsoft Windows]] [[operating system]] from [[Windows XP]] SP2 support MTP. Windows XP requires Windows Media Player 10 or higher;<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://news.microsoft.com/2004/09/02/final-availability-of-windows-media-player-10-brings-more-music-and-more-choices-to-music-fans/|title=Final Availability of Windows Media Player 10 Brings More Music and More Choices to Music Fans|publisher=Microsoft|date=September 2, 2004|access-date=October 18, 2019|archive-date=October 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018194645/https://news.microsoft.com/2004/09/02/final-availability-of-windows-media-player-10-brings-more-music-and-more-choices-to-music-fans/|url-status=live}}</ref> later Windows versions have built-in support. Microsoft has made an MTP Porting Kit available for older versions of Windows, back to [[Windows 98]].

The [[USB Implementers Forum]] device working group standardized MTP as a full-fledged [[USB|Universal Serial Bus]] (USB) device class in May 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdm.link/2006/07/mtp-portable-player-standard-microsofts-mclauchlan-sets-us-straight/|title=MTP, Portable Player Standard? Microsoft's McLauchlan Sets Us Straight|date=July 31, 2006|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=August 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804163159/http://cdm.link/2006/07/mtp-portable-player-standard-microsofts-mclauchlan-sets-us-straight/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since then, MTP is an official extension to PTP and shares the same class code.<ref name="spec1.1">{{cite web|url=https://www.usb.org/document-library/media-transfer-protocol-v11-spec-and-mtp-v11-adopters-agreement|title=Media Transfer Protocol v.1.1 Spec and MTP v.1.1 Adopters Agreement|date=April 6, 2011|access-date=September 29, 2018|archive-date=September 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929233231/https://www.usb.org/document-library/media-transfer-protocol-v11-spec-and-mtp-v11-adopters-agreement|url-status=live}}</ref>